The Punjab unit of Congress today demanded a "white paper" from the SAD-BJP government on expenses incurred by the Chief Minister, his Deputy and other state ministers on foreign tours in the past seven years.
Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Singh Khaira said in a statement here that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal had visited several foreign countries, and have made lofty statements to replicate many projects of these developed countries, but to no avail.
"I clearly remember the CM and his deputy promising to bring about dairy revolution after visiting Israel, to introduce rapid transport system during their visit to Turkey, and to set up new garbage collection system after a Dubai visit," he said.
The Badals cannot list even one project implemented or achieved from any of their foreign tours, he claimed.
"It has become a common practise for ruling politicians to plan foreign tour with some bogus govt agenda, so that the public exchequer can be misused to make payments for their holidaying and picnics," he alleged.
He claimed that as per an RTI query by him from the state government, money to the tune of Rs 22 lakh was spent by the Deputy Chief Minister on a tour to China in 2011.
"As per RTI information provided by the Punjab Energy Development Agency, Sukhbir and his so-called delegation spent a whopping Rs 22,19,995 of tax payers' money on the ten-day tour to China," Khaira said, demanding a "white paper" on expenses incurred on similar foreign tours.
